Hibs hosted a Scottish Premiership classic by managing to claw back a point against Aberdeen in a 3-3 draw, following three injury-time goals, to send Easter Road into pandemonium.
Goals came back and forth from either team, with Newell opening the score in the first half for Hibs as well as second-half goal drama from Cadden and Rocky, but Aberdeen hit back with their own with goals from McGrath, Devlin, and Sockler to ultimately leave each of the teams with a point apiece.
David Gray was insistent that there is “no time to be sorry for ourselves” following Hibs’s dismal result at the weekend, and he made tactical changes to match the need for the Hibees to bounce back. There were mixed reactions to the starting lineup that Gray produced following their 4-1 defeat to Dundee FC, with four changes coming in Smith, Miller, Iredale and Hoilett all coming in to replace the suspended Obita, Chris Cadden, Bushiri and Bursik.
The stands were somewhat sour before the game, matching strongly the feeling around the club at the minute, but the home fans were hoping their side would find that spark to turn Gray’s tenure at Hibs into something more fruitful. The Aberdeen fans came in their numbers. They filled their away allocation on a cold Tuesday night, warm with anticipation following their side’s stunning start to the season, except for the shock defeat at the hands of St Mirren.
FIRST HALF
Chants of “Sack the Board” rang out from the Hibs faithful right after the game kicked off, a telling indicator of the sentiment around Easter Road at the moment following their poor performances. Regardless, the match began evenly, with both teams being in either side’s box, but the quick start to the match remained goalless.
Hibs despite their recent form grew into the match, and came close 10 minutes in after a Hoilett delivery nearly met the head of Kukharevych. Aberdeen raised the alarm bells only a minute later after Mackenzie sent a whipped delivery into the box which Nisbet took a touch, needing Rocky to scrap it away.
Hibs came close after some delightful play from Youan saw a space open up on the edge of the box, to which he unleashed a shot and tested Mitov in goal needing a save. In the 22nd minute Hibs had another good chance, after a whipped delivery into the box flashed over the goalkeeper, but couldn’t connect with the head or feet of Miller.
Aberdeen started to wake up in the 25th minute mark, after some more great play down the wing from Mackenzie saw a delivery towards McGrath have to be deflected away by Rocky for Hibs. The challenge prompted a short VAR check for a penalty, that was quickly cleared to the relief of the home side.
Youan was on fire in the first half, and the forward picked up some space in the 39th minute, cutting inside once then twice, then unleashing a shot that was blocked, showing the home crowd some promise going into the break.
The 40th minute saw the first goal of the game come the way of Hibs, when a shot scrapped about and fell to Joe Newell on the edge of the box allowing the midfielder unleash a strike, taking a wicked deflection off an Aberdeen shirt, and then bouncing into the left-hand side of the goal to the agony of Mitov in the net. Again, Hibs were ahead in a match, and determined to hold on this time
Kukharevych nearly managed to put Hibs two goals up before the break, after his header was met following the corner from the handball incident which flashed just wide of the left-hand post. Mitov was stood glued to the spot in goal, with no chance of him reaching it, so the relief was evident on his face
Just before half time, Miller went into the book following a dangerous follow-through on Mackenzie in the 46th minute. Just after, a header by Nisbet met by the comfortable hands of Smith in goal for Hibs 48 minutes in, and the half time whistle blew to the initial joy of the home fans at Easter Road.
SECOND HALF
Immediately after the restart Hibs came out flying, with Hoilett laying the ball off to Newell only 30 seconds after the restart with his effort painfully striking the outside of the post- a let off for Aberdeen. Hibs tested the Aberdeen defence again in the 50th minute, after Cadden found a pocket in the left wing, but his effort deflected just wide of the right hand post.
Aberdeen looked to capitalise on some all-too-familiar poor defence from Hibs, but following some nice exchange play McGrath’s sliced effort sailed hopelessly over the bar. The second-half precedent was evident for everyone though, as Aberdeen came out very strong within their attack.
Aberdeen made the first sub of the night in the 54th minute, when Topi Keskinen came off with Shayden Morris replacing him for the away side.
10 minutes into the second half and Aberdeen were level following a consistent spell of pressure. The ball fell to Jamie McGrath in the middle of the box, and the Irishman took his time and deflected his effort into the far corner past a flurry of bodies. Following a VAR check the goal was cleared and the scores were level at 1-1 following what can only be described as terrible defending from Hibs.
Hibs were denied a second goal in the 60th minute only by the firm body of Mackenzie who got just above the line to deny Hoilett from putting the home side in front again. It was right back down the other end only 2 minutes later as in the 62nd minute Shinnie tested the palms of Smith in goal, alas to nothing.
Hibs made their first sub in the 64th minute, with Mykola Kuharevich coming off to be replaced by Dwight Gayle, looking to provide some offensive spark
Hibs were beginning to get sloppy in typical fashion, and a mistake from Youan being dispossessed left room for Duk to set up Shayden Morris along the right wing for Aberdeen, and the away side nearly went ahead after Rocky nearly turned into his own net needing Smith to hold on firm.
A melee developed 70 minutes into the game, with players from both teams getting a bit fiery with each other. This resulted in a card for Aberdeen’s Nicky Devlin as well as one for Hibs’s Jack Iredale. The resulting free kick from Clarkson needed saving by Smith to deny a second goal for the away side – epitomising the grasp the visitors had on the game.
Hibs looked to change the game up by making their second and third subs of the game, with Nectar Triantis being replaced by Hyeokkyu Kwon, and Junior Hoilett being replaced by Josh Campbell 74 minutes in.
On the 76th minute mark, the away side were ahead for the first time in this game. Smith did a terrible job of keeping the the ball following an Aberdeen corner, and Nicky Devlin was there to pick the ball up inside the edge of the box and loft the ball over everyone and into the net. It was absolute pandemonium in the away end.
Aberdeen then looked to control the game with a series of subs in the 80th minute, with Duk being replaced by the Slovenian Ester Sokler, as well as the goalscorer Nicky Devlin being replaced by Jack Milne looking to control the game more.
Hibs opted for one last roll of the dice, replacing Jack Iredale with forward Martin Boyle 84 minutes in.
Hibs begun threatening towards the end of the game following a late rally from those within Easter Road, and the spark nearly shone after a cross from Youan went over everyone including some Hibs shirts went out for a corner, providing some hope for those deflated in the home crowd.
Injury time is where the real carnage began.
In the 91st minute Hibs managed to bring themselves level in wonderful fashion. A foul about 25 yards out from the Aberdeen net set Nicky Cadden up for a free kick, and the Scotsman stepped up emphatically to curl a wonderful effort into the top right-hand corner of the goal to bring the sides level. My match notes read “Hibs appear to have rescued a point here”, but little did I and the rest at Easter Road know how much more was in store only minutes away.
The drama continued to unfold at Easter Road, with both teams absolutely raring for that one chance or one break to go ahead. In the 95th minute, in stunning fashion it was the away side who thought they’d won it at the death. Shayden Morris managed to wiggle some room on the right wing to send a cross in to Ester Sokler who scored the goal of the night with an acrobatic bicycle kick that Smith failed to parry out of the net, to which all in the away side piled on top of one another. Aberdeen looked to have pulled off a major heist for all three points.
All within Easter Road thought it was done by then, with such little time left and such a deflating goal to concede, it was certain that Hibs were doomed to another loss in the league. Despite this, there was one man who thought otherwise, and that was Rocky Bushiri. In the 96th minute, the centre back found himself at the very front of the attack, and when a nod down by Gayle met his feet, the centre back redirected it into the net to make it 3-3 with seconds to go, leaving both sets of fans in utter disbelief and wild celebrations from those in green.
The full-time whistle blew to a breathless Easter Road crowd. Deflated, elated, shocked were just a few of the emotions from both teams, but it is clear that the crowd was treat to a Scottish Premiership classic this Tuesday evening. The 3-3 draw sees Hibs stay in 12th place by goal difference on 9 points, whereas Aberdeen stay in 2nd place on 32 points, having played two more games than leaders Celtic.
Hibs can now set their sights on a tough tie on Saturday afternoon, where they travel away to Motherwell in the league, whereas Aberdeen look to get back to winning ways next time out by travelling to the other side of Edinburgh taking on Hearts on Sunday.
